AGENCY HIGHLIGHTS
JFS & HOT Partnership, Providing 10 Years of Counseling & Mental Health Services at Caridad Center
Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services through funding provided by Hands on Tzedakah (HOT), a Boca Raton based charity, has been providing counseling and mental health services to patients at the Caridad Center in Boynton Beach for the past 10 years. Caridad Center dedicates its work to upgrade the health, education, and living standards of underserved children and families.
Aser Ones, MSW, is on staff at JFS and is the only mental health professional at Caridad. During his four days on-site, he is responsible for all assessments, crisis intervention, educating volunteers and Caridad's staff about mental health issues and how to identify them in patients they serve and maintaining a steady caseload for therapy. Caridad has traditionally provided free medical and dental care but it had become evident that there was a critical gap in services to address mental health issues. "I am in the ER of mental health," Ones stated. "My clients have little or no resources and come from 20 different countries. They are afraid to reach out to any other agency for help." Ones who is bilingual, averages 5-6 patients per day. Last year he handled 641 office visits helping 173 adults and 8 children.  Laura Kallus, Executive Director of Caridad Center addressed the importance of Caridad patients having access to mental health services. "Most patients are one small step away from disaster. They are so stressed and depressed that symptoms manifest themselves physically through medical issues. When a patient's mental health improves, their health outcomes tend to follow suit. We are grateful for the partnership we have with JFS and HOT because without it, our patients would not be getting the mental health treatment they so desperately need." "Bringing JFS and Caridad together to work in tandem fulfills HOT's mission of both supporting essential life sustaining programs and collaborating with agencies that dedicate themselves to helping others," stated. Ronald L. Gallatin, Chairman and CEO of HOT. "It is just as critical to have a mental health counselor available as it is for client's to have access to medical and dental professionals." "We are proud to be able to partner with Caridad Center," said Danielle N. Hartman, President and CEO of JFS. "Through the generosity of HOT, we at JFS are able to extend our reach into the community, providing help, hope and humanity to Caridad patients. The results of this partnership have been remarkable. Clients who have who have been unsuccessful in medically treating panic attacks and headaches, stated that they have disappeared after therapy sessions. Clients have reported back to Ones that "they are now able to get through an 8 hour workday without stress induced fainting, or have been able to have relations with their spouses after not being able to due to unresolved issues of childhood rape."
| |
A Frum Survivor Tells Her Story Publicly - For the First Time
Project S.A.R.A.H. (Stop Abusive Relationships At Home) is a program that works to overcome cultural, legal and religious barriers confronting victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Project S.A.R.A.H proudly serves the statewide New Jersey Orthodox Jewish community.  Every survivor of child sexual abuse has a story. Most are untold. On March 22nd, in front of a large Los Angeles crowd, Sima Yarmush publicly told her story. For the first time. LIsten to it here.
| |
|
Stay updated on AJFCA offerings, agency news & current trends . . .
|
|
|
Lee I. Sherman
President/CEO
In our culture, we like things big. In the U.S, it seems as if there are more trucks and SUV's on the road than cars. Our fast food restaurants "super-size" meals, and soft drinks come in sizes seemingly too large to carry. Homerun hitters have always been bigger stars, and paid more, than singles hitters, and football players are considered small if they come in under 250 lbs. Successful Hollywood movies are "blockbusters," and popular songs are likely to be "mega-hits."
So, what are we to make of Shabbat HaGadol (the "Great" Shabbat), which we celebrate this week? We know it is the Shabbat immediately preceding Pesach, so that must make it important. But, so "big" as to carry that name? Presumably, it is the Sabbath when our rabbis are instructed to give us all the crucial information we need to know before we begin the Pesach holiday. Does that make this week greater than any other Shabbat? Torah scholars point to the enormous preparations made by the Israelites prior to the exodus from Egypt and the large impression this made on their Egyptian neighbors, thus paving the way for their flight from slavery. Clearly, this is significant.
I don't know if any of these explanations tell me why this Shabbat deserves the name HaGadol. Every Shabbat has its own elements of greatness. But, it is nice to take a step back, think about the name "Shabbat HaGadol," and consider the magnitude of this and every Shabbat.
Have a joyful and big Shabbat.
|
JFNA Health & Long-Term Care Summit 
The Jewish Federations of North America will hold its 7th Annual Health & Long-Term Care Summit May 20-21, 2015 in Cleveland, OH. This is the first time the summit will be held outside of Washington, DC and the first time registration is open to a larger audience. Lay and professional leaders from Jewish family service agencies are invited to attend. Click here for the agenda. Register here. |
We Were Strangers, Too - TODAY 
Join AJFCA for the next national We Were Strangers, Too (WWS2) conference call Today, Friday, March 27th from 12-1pm EST. We will discuss current immigration policy updates from Washington including an overview of ensuring access to asylum for children and families and current legislation that is under consideration in the House and Senate. We will also hear about local organizing efforts around the country and how communities are integrating immigration advocacy into Jewish communal organizing including Passover celebrations. Click here to RSVP. |
|
AGENCY PROGRAMMING/OPERATIONS
|
Not Adding to the Problem: Seven Ways Your Nonprofit Can Avoid Mirroring Practices That Perpetuate  Inequality
Equalling roughly 10 percent of the U.S. economy, the nonprofit sector does not have the financial resources to be a significant countervailing force to the larger trends in the economy. Nonetheless, it is important that the nonprofit sector stand for equality as a core principle-and, of course, the supporters and leaders of nonprofits don't want their organizations to contribute to or exemplify the problem of income inequality, wittingly or unwittingly. Click here to view the following seven practices nonprofits can adopt to foster income equality.
|
Nonprofit Leaders: Optimistic yet Exhausted in Face of "Recovery" 
Five years and a few months after the Great Recession officially "ended," the Nonprofit Center at La Salle University's School of Business asked 231 nonprofit executive directors in the Philadelphia region if their organizations had begun to see recovery. The responses were not positive. Slightly more than half of respondents indicated that nonprofits were experiencing economic recovery either to "a slight degree" or "not at all." Conversely, 28 percent indicated they were experiencing recovery either to a "good" or "great" degree. Learn more here. |
2015 AJFCA Annual Conference - Early Bird Registration Closes Friday, March 27th 
Click here to REGISTER! Click here to book your room at the Hilton Miami Downtown. Click here
to view a tentative schedule (with dates and times), list of sessions and descriptions, optional Monday luncheons and details surrounding the Sunday evening Host Community Event and CEO Council.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AJFCA will be offering gentle yoga and a walking group to attendees on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday morning. If you are interested in leading running group please email Megan.
|
|
Save the Date - Domestic Violence Professionals Meeting
Domestic Violence Professionals Meeting
August 9th & 10th
Chicago, IL
Join AJFCA member agency domestic violence professionals as we gather to share best practices. AJFCA is thrilled to announce the first ever Domestic Violence Professionals Meeting beginning Sunday, August 9th with a casual networking get together. Programming will take place Monday, August 10th and include lunch. Please stay tuned for details (including hotel, cost and rfp).
|
"Turn the Tables" with Repair the World this Passove r
Repair the World's second Turn the Tables national campaign is now underway. The new campaign is tied to Passover and will focus on the issues of gentrification and neighborhood change. We had a great deal of momentum around our MLK Day Campaign, and this campaign allows us to continue to grow the Turn the Tables brand and connect it to the important work Repair is doing in our communities. Please get involved by promoting the campaign.
Click here for more information.
|
The Changing Landscape of Community and Residential Supports for Persons with Disabilities Webinar Series
Professionals, self-advocates, and family members are invited to this 4-part webinar series presented by the Task Force on Jewish Residential Alternatives for Adults with Disabilities outlining the changing landscape of community and residential supports for persons with disabilities. Spring (March 18th) and summer (June 17th) sessions will provide participants with an understanding of self-advocacy and best practices related to life planning and transitions from school to emerging adulthood. Fall (October 21st) and winter (December 16th) sessions will focus on changing policy impacting the creation of and access to residential services as well as changes to Medicaid and other policies that impact access to an array of support services. The series is offered free of charge to all AJFCA network professionals and available to clients of AJFCA members and professionals and clients at non-member organizations for a fee. Read more and register for each session individually or sign up for the entire series here. Contact Liz with questions.
|
Formula for Empowered Leadership 
Phew, your leadership development or nominating committee filled all the open seats on your board. What a relief! Sadly, too many organizations think that their work is done once new board members are secured or sworn in at their annual meeting. The truth is that if we want empowered leaders who roll up their sleeves and lead, the work has just begun when they say "yes." Read the entire article here. |
What's Needed to Become a Nonprofit Board Change Agent? 
Nonprofit board members can become change agents by having a firm understanding of the organization's goals, being proactive, being patient and flexible, and having good people skills. Being a nonprofit board change agent also requires a significant time commitment, like chairing an important committee or conducting outside research. Continue reading here. |
|
|
COMMUNICATIONS & DEVELOPMENT
|
|
3 Tips for Telling Stories That Move People to Action
Heard any good social-change stories lately? Did they move you to action? Did they make you think different about the meaning of justice? "For purposes of advocacy, a story is only as good as the impact it has on how audiences understand an issue or get involved," says Susan Nall Bales, the founder and executive director of the FrameWorks Institute, a research group that helps nonprofits communicate about social problems.
|
|
|
